Exploring the Wilderness of Southern Ontario

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white water

This blog could be accused of focussing too much on the Hunting and Fishing aspects of Southern Ontario and I would be hard pressed to refute the accusation. I mean they are my two favourite past times, which explains why they often make their way to the forefront of this blog.

However I do occasonally get a chance to step outside of my cofort zone and try something new and exciting. Last weekend was such an occasion as I was invited to a bachelor party which included a white water canoeing component.

The trip took place on the lower portion of the Madawaska starting at the Paddlers coop in Palmer Rapids and finishing some 41 kms in Griffith. The route took us through the Lower Madawaska River Provincial Park and over several sets of rapids.

The trip started following an early morning of fishing on a small back lake I frequented in my youth. We camped at the Paddlers Co-op for the night and awaited the remaining 3 members of our group to arrive. For those who have never been, the Paddlers coop is a great location to get your learn on when it comes to white water. The facility is a non-for profit organization owned and run by paddlers who really enjoy what they do. Its also a great place to get outfitted for the river if you don’t have your own gear (https://paddlerco-op.ca/). It’s funny, I’ve spent a ton of time in the Bancroft area as a kid and had no idea a gem like the paddlers Coop existed.

Everyone who has ever camped at bon echo or head up highway 41 knows the Kaladar General Store. There aren’t a whole lot of options for gas in the area and the KGS is a great spot for fuel and odds and ends you may need for your outdoor adventures.

Typical foggy morning landscapes from the Bancroft area.

The first day started with a leisurely paddle from the Paddler Coop. There are several flat stretches right off the hop just downriver from the Coop.

Aumonds Rapids (shown above) was the very first set we encountered, and my very first set as a newly minted white water canoeist. Although it was only a class I in low water, it seemed huge to a newbie. We did scout this rapid, which in hind sight was probably more for my benefit than safety. Glad the guys eased me into these things!

But lets not down play the importance of scouting when canoeing whitewater. Scouting is a vital component of white water canoeing in order to stay safe. Scouting allows the paddler to assess the level of difficulty of each rapid set and allows for the development of a game plan prior to entering the set. Rocks can be game enders and since they can be difficult to see from the low angle of a canoe, scouting is critical. If I haven’t already sold you on it consider this: Water conditions can vary greatly from season to season or even between rain events and rapids can change drastically over time.

(View of snake rapids above)

Fishing on the trip was dominated by 1-2 lb smallmouth bass. They seemed to be everywhere in the river and very hungry. They also made a delicious addition to our evening meals.

To be honest, I was pretty terrified of running some of these rapids. Most were Class I to II however there were some class III rapids, which on paper seems beyond my confidence level. Good thing the other gents on the trip were pros and more than willing to teach me the ropes.

(Nailed it!)

(Above: Dave crushing Rifle Chute)

White water canoeing has inherent risks, and spilling can be a frequent occurrence. Thankfully the Madawaska is a fairly forgiving river in the sense that most rapids are followed by slow moving pools which easily accommodates spilled paddlers. Swimming to shore from these pools is usually fairly quick and easy to do.

(The author hitting split rock rapids)

River features like rapids and specific rocks often come with weird and quirky names. Some seem to have no meaning at all, while others are aptly named. We encountered one such feature ( a rock) in Raquette Rapids dubbed “The Canopener”. This rock is located immediately down stream of the rapids that canoes often get pinned against, leaving them “open” the current. According to the locals, it can be nearly impossible to remove the canoes from the rocks during high water.

The addiction to white-water grew over the trip and by the end, I was eagerly anticipating the next set. Definitely a trip I would do again.